Management Considerations with Shortened Dry Periods

1
Management Considerations with Shortened Dry
Periods

• Daryl D. Maulfair
• Pennsylvania State University

2
Overview

• Review current dry period lengths and
  recommendations
• Economic considerations
• Other major factors to evaluate
• What about first lactation animals?

3
USDA Study of Dry Periods

• Holsteins calving after 1996
• Days Dry (DD) of Cows
• lt35 lt3
• 46-65 65
• gt100 5.5
• Mean DD 60.5
• Based on 459,075 records from 3,527 herds.
• (Source Kuhn, M. T., J. L. Hutchison, and H.
  D. Norman. 2005. Characterization of days dry
  for United States Holsteins. J. Dairy Sci.
  881147-1155)

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Main Factors InfluencingDays Dry

• Days Open (? DO ? DD)
• Previous Lactation Milk Yield (? MY ? DD)
• Others Last test-day SCS, parity,
• and calving month
• (Source Kuhn, M. T., J. L. Hutchison, and H.
  D. Norman. 2005. Characterization of days dry
  for United States Holsteins. J. Dairy Sci.
  881147-1155)

5
Previous Research Trials

• Statistical analysis of data sets dry periods
  not planned
• Trial Conclusion
• Makuza and McDaniel (1996) Supported 60-69
  DD
• Keown and Everett (1986) Supported 50-59
  DD
• Schaeffer and Henderson (1972) lt30d dry
  decreases MY
• Klein and Woodward (1943) lt30d dry
  decreases MY
• (Source Bachman, K. C. and M. L. Schairer. 2003.
  Bovine studies on optimal lengths of dry periods.
  
• J. Dairy Sci. 863027-3037.)

6
Planned University Research Trials Evaluating 30
DD vs. 60 DD

• Experiment (Yr) Decrease in Milk Yield ()
• Florida 2001 0.0
• 2002 1.8
• 2003 1.2
• Wisconsin 2003 2.1 (14.9 for 0 DD)
• Arizona 2003 3.8 (11.2 for 0 DD)
• (Source Bachman, K. C., .Will shorter dry
  periods pay for you?, Hoards Dairyman, May 10,
  2004.)

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Economics Off-set Milk Yield
(From Bachman, K. C.. Will shorter dry periods
pay for you?, Hoards Dairyman, May 10, 2004)
8
Average off-set milk yield for shortened dry
periods (vs. 60d)

• Milk loss in next lactation Offset
  milk
• lbs. 30 DD 40 DD
• 2 500 17 25
• 4 1,000 33 50
• 8 2,000 67 100
• 12 3,000 100 150
• Pounds per day for a 25,000-pound cow.

9
Management Considerations

• Cow inventory and available space
• Gestation variation
• Accuracy of records
• Withdrawal times of treatments
• Nutritional considerations

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Cow Inventory

• Changing from 60-70 DD to 30-40 DD effectively
  increases
• milking herd by 4-7
• pre-fresh dry group by 25
• Far-off dry group will be dramatically reduced or
  eliminated.

(Source Weiland, W. and R. Rodriguez.
Considerations for modifying dry period length,
Monsanto Dairy Business)
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Cow Inventory

• To effectively decrease DP length a
• dairy needs
• Enough room in the milking or free stall barn
• Adequate capacity in the milking parlor
• Space for more cows in pre-fresh group

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Decisions for Shortened Dry Periods
yes
Is there an open stall?
Do I have the parlor capacity?
yes
Which cow will be most profitable in that slot?
no
no
yes
Can I over-crowd without a significant production
loss?
1) Fresh cow available?
no
yes
no
2) Cash to buy a high producing cow?
Should I cull a low producing cow to create
capacity?
no
3) Cow with a modified dry period?
(From Weiland, W. and R. Rodriguez.
Considerations for modifying dry period length,
Monsanto Dairy Business)
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Gestation Variation

• The average gestation length for dairy cows is
  280 days, but management should allow for some
  variability.
• SD for gestation length 7 d
• This is a natural variation and cannot be
  managed.
• (Source Coppock, C. E., R. W. Everett, R. P.
  Natzke, and H. R. Ainslie. 1974. Effect of dry
  period length in Holstein milk production and
  selected disorders at parturition. J. Dairy Sci.
  57712-718.)

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Gestation Variation

• Factors influencing gestation length
• Multiple pregnancies
• Gender of fetus
• Age of cow
• Season
• Heat stress
• (Sources Coppock, C. E., R. W. Everett, R. P.
  Natzke, and H. R. Ainslie. 1974. Effect of dry
  period length in Holstein milk production and
  selected disorders at parturition. J. Dairy Sci.
  57712-718 Kuhn, M. T., J. L. Hutchison, and H.
  D. Norman. 2005. Characterization of days dry
  for United States Holsteins. J. Dairy Sci.
  881147-1155)

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Accuracy of Records

• More accurate records mean more accurate due
  dates!
• Inaccurate due dates will lead to unexpected
  early calvings and reduced milk yield.
• Errors in records are a management issue and can
  be minimized.

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Withdrawal Times

• Evaluate current treatments to be sure there are
  sufficient times between treatment and calving.
• Test all treated cows with shortened dry periods
  for antibiotic residues after parturition.
• Many times it takes up to 6 milkings for a
  negative test.
• (Source Varga G. A., Shortened dry cow periods,
  Dairy Extension Presentation)

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Nutritional Considerations

• Most cows will be fed pre-fresh ration for entire
  dry period therefore, cows will experience less
  negative energy balance.
• Square0 DD
• Triangle28 DD
• Circle56 DD
• (Source Grummer R. R. et al. 2005. Reducing dry
  period length to simplify feeding transition
  cows milk production, energy balance and
  metabolic profiles. J. Dairy Sci. 881004-1014)

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• Other findings from WI study
• Shortening DP from 56 to 28d along with feeding
  one consistent diet did not have much influence
  on DMI, SCM, and plasma energy metabolites.1
• Additional Considerations
• Anionic salts?
• Cows should get 13-14 CP and 1.58 Mcal of
  energy/kg of DM2
• Need minimum change from transition to lactation
  diets
• (Sources 1Grummer R. R. et al. 2005. Reducing
  dry period length to simplify feeding transition
  cows milk production, energy balance and
  metabolic profiles. J. Dairy Sci. 881004-1014. 2
  Varga G. A., Shortened dry cow periods, Dairy
  Extension Presentation)

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Other Management Considerations

• Hoof trimming schedule
• Vaccination protocols
• Will far-off dry cow group still be needed?
• BCS

20
First Lactation Animals

• First-calf heifers may benefit from a DP longer
  than 30 d (more research needed)
• In an Arizona trial (2003), heifers dry for only
  30 d produced 7 less milk the next lactation.
• (Source Bachman, K. C.. Will shorter dry periods
  pay for you?, Hoards Dairyman, May 10, 2004)

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Summary

• Research supports dry periods lt60 d
• For shortened DP to be successful, producers must
  manage cow inventory, maintain accurate records,
  and carefully monitor nutrition.
• More research is necessary to fully understand
  effects on first calf heifers and to measure long
  term effects on reproduction and health.

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Thank You